


All Work and No Play

by misura



Category: Captive Prince - C. S. Pacat
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-05-26
Packaged: 2020-03-19 19:22:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18976801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misura/pseuds/misura
Summary: Erasmus decides Torveld has been working too hard.





	All Work and No Play

It was not a slave's right, of course, to complain when his master worked late on too many nights.

Erasmus knew that there were reasons for Torveld's staying up late to read and reread reports from Patran agents. There was talk of war, of the Vaskian Empire responding to the forming of a new kingdom by seeking to absorb Patras now that its treaties with the kingdoms once known as Akielos and Vere were no longer valid.

When asked about these rumors, Torveld had said that they were baseless, and that Patras's bonds of friendship with Akielos and Vere were not so fragile that they needed a piece of paper to validate them. If Vask wished for war, they would discover Patras far from friendless.

Nevertheless, in private, Erasmus knew that Torveld worried. He knew that King Torgeir had had Torveld draw up plans for the deployment of troops, and the most likely route any Vaskian invaders might take. He also knew that Torveld was right when he said neither Damianos of Akielos nor Laurent of Vere would stand by idly while Patras was attacked.

The only thing Erasmus didn't know was how to get Torveld to come to bed at a reasonable hour.

In Akielos, he would have known who to talk to. Slaves might not rebuke their masters directly, but there were hundreds of informal ways in which a slave might nonetheless influence his master's decisions and choices.

In Akielos, Erasmus would have probably sought out one of Nikandros's slaves, who would have spoken to one of Nikandros's servants, who would have spoken to someone else until, at the end, Nikandros would have received word that his king was overexerting himself.

In Patras, the only one with any influence over Torveld was Torgeir, and while Torgeir kept slaves, his relationship with them was distant at best. Erasmus had spoken to them only a handful of times, enough to know that they were content and that Torgeir required their services no more than once or twice a month. Torgeir kept slaves because he was King, and kings were expected to keep slaves.

Erasmus was grateful that Torveld at least had a use for him. He did not think that he would have enjoyed belonging to someone who kept him fed and dressed and left him free to do anything he pleased so long as he was discrete and kept himself out of sight. That was not what slaves were for.

"You look tired," Torveld said. At his right hand lay the pile of reports he had dealt with already. By now, it was higher than the pile to his left, but not by much. "You can go to bed if you want."

Erasmus performed the bow of slave to honored master, although his muscles felt a little sore from all the waiting. He felt glad that Torveld had noticed him, at least, and wished for his comfort.

"This slave is here to serve," he said. It was unlikely Torveld would want to take him to his bed tonight, but Erasmus had also been trained to offer comfort in other ways. A massage might soothe Torveld's own muscles and help him sleep.

"You look tired," Torveld repeated.

"This slave feels honored by your attention," said Erasmus. His bow was that of favored slave to master, indicating availability and a desire to please.

Torveld's expression was a little rueful, but there was also a hint of interest. Torveld might not be a young man, but unlike his brother, he was still of an age where he enjoyed taking pleasure slaves to his bed. At least, he took Erasmus to his bed often enough. If there were others, Erasmus did not know of them, nor should he want to, unless, of course, Torveld wished him to.

"I'm sorry," Torveld said. "I - this is a busy time, and my brother needs me. I wish I had more time for you. At the very least, I shouldn't keep you up just to keep me company only to ignore you."

Masters did not apologize to their slaves, no matter what they had done. A master who beat his slaves unjustly might be fined or even have his slaves taken away, but nobody would ever expect him to apologize to them.

"What you have given me is enough," Erasmus said. This time, he did not bow. "I am happy to be here."

Torveld glanced at the next report. "Here in Patras?"

"Here with you," Erasmus said. He felt warm, and vulnerable. This was how he might speak to another slave, whom he trusted - how he might speak to Kallias, had Kallias been here and still his friend.

"I cannot think of a man who would not count himself lucky to have you in his rooms," said Torveld, which was a lie, given that he knew what had happened in Vere.

Even so, it was an acceptable form of praise.

"This slave is happy to give you pleasure." It was less enjoyable, sometimes, to please merely by sitting still and practicing his forms than by pleasing Torveld with his body, by offering up his obedience and submission and receiving Torveld's praise and pleasure in return.

Erasmus tried not to let this show, to be content with what he was given, but it was not always easy.

To a pleasure slave, it ought not to matter who wished to take him, only that he observed the right forms and pleased to the best of his abilities, yet Erasmus knew that if he were given to a guest or a stranger, he would never seek to please them as ardently as he sought to please Torveld - nor would their praise and pleasure mean as much to him.

He thought that perhaps Torveld knew this, and that this was why Torveld never offered Erasmus to his guests or friends, the way one would not offer an inferior amphora of wine to others.

Torveld sighed. "I really should try to finish this one last report."

Erasmus said nothing. He had not been asked a question, or addressed directly, and so it was not his place to comment that Torveld had many more reports to read, and that it was unlikely to matter whether this particular report was read tonight or tomorrow morning.

Torveld muttered something and stood up. "Fine. I'm done. Will you come to bed with me and help me undress?"

Erasmus bowed. "You honor this slave."

Torveld kissed him, which wasn't entirely appropriate, but not wholly improper, either. A master might take his slave where he wished, and though a kiss was not the same as being taken, it was only a matter of degree.

"It's a miracle I get any work done at all with you around," said Torveld.

"This slave respectfully points out that you may order me out of your sight at any moment you wish to do so," Erasmus said, feeling daring and only a little bit guilty.

"Have you been talking to my brother?" Torveld shook his head. "Never mind, it wouldn't work anyway. I don't want you out of my sight. I want you right where I can see you."

 _See me, and touch me, and have me._ Erasmus felt a little dizzy, but not so much that he was unable to perform the correct bow to indicate they might move to the bedroom, where things might proceed with greater comfort and less risk of one of them accidentally bumping into a stack of papers, thereby undoing all of Torveld's hard work.


End file.
